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| Hazel Stewart drops appeal against husband murder conviction | Hazel Stewart drops appeal against husband murder conviction |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Double killer Hazel Stewart has dropped her appeal against the murder of her husband. | |
| The ex-Sunday school teacher was jailed for a minimum of 18 years in 2011 for murdering Trevor Buchanan and her ex-lover's wife, Lesley Howell. | |
| The victims were found in a fume-filled garage in Castlerock, County Londonderry, in May 1991. | The victims were found in a fume-filled garage in Castlerock, County Londonderry, in May 1991. |
| Stewart, 49, is continuing with her appeal against the other conviction. | |
| She was jailed for plotting the murders with ex-dentist, Colin Howell. | She was jailed for plotting the murders with ex-dentist, Colin Howell. |
| On Monday, the Court of Appeal heard that on the basis of admissions made during police interviews, an appeal against the murder of her husband was not sustainable. | |
| Turning to the challenge to being found guilty of Lesley's Howell's murder, her barrister said: "There's no evidence that this appellant had any prior knowledge of Howell's intention to kill his wife on that particular night. | |
| "It's particularly significant that there's no evidence of this appellant giving Howell any assistance or indeed encouragement in respect of the killing of his wife on that particular night." | |
| Police originally believed that Trevor Buchanan and Lesley Howell had died in a suicide pact after discovering that their partners were having an affair. | Police originally believed that Trevor Buchanan and Lesley Howell had died in a suicide pact after discovering that their partners were having an affair. |
| They were, in fact, murdered before their bodies were arranged to make it look like they had taken their own lives. | They were, in fact, murdered before their bodies were arranged to make it look like they had taken their own lives. |
| It took nearly two decades for the truth to emerge when Howell, 52, suddenly confessed to both killings. | It took nearly two decades for the truth to emerge when Howell, 52, suddenly confessed to both killings. |
| He pleaded guilty to the murders in 2010 and is serving a minimum of 21 years in prison. | He pleaded guilty to the murders in 2010 and is serving a minimum of 21 years in prison. |
| Howell also implicated his former lover in the plot and gave evidence against her at her trial. | Howell also implicated his former lover in the plot and gave evidence against her at her trial. |
| During the trial the court heard that Howell had planned and carried out the killings and Stewart had facilitated them. | During the trial the court heard that Howell had planned and carried out the killings and Stewart had facilitated them. |
| She drugged her husband, allowed Howell into her house and disposed of a hose pipe used by Howell to gas Trevor Buchanan the night he was murdered. | She drugged her husband, allowed Howell into her house and disposed of a hose pipe used by Howell to gas Trevor Buchanan the night he was murdered. |
| Stewart, 49, has undergone psychiatric examinations and psychological assessments as part of her attempt to overturn her conviction. | Stewart, 49, has undergone psychiatric examinations and psychological assessments as part of her attempt to overturn her conviction. |